Shopain: Militants on Sunday attacked an army party in Zainapora area of south Kashmir’s Shopian district. However, there was no report of any casualties.
An official said that militants fired upon army’s 34 RR party at Malikgund bus stop in Zainapora today morning.
Army retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of fire, said the official, adding that the militants fled from the area.
He said a search operation has been launched to nab the militants.
By-poll in Anantnag Lok Sabha constituency will not be held now. Instead, the constituency will go to polls during the next general election scheduled to be held in April-May next year because, as one official said the “reasons are known to everybody, the situation isn’t favorable there”.
This is probably for the first time in J&K that “unfavorable situation” has forced the government to cancel a by-election altogether in a parliamentary seat lying vacant for the past 21 months.
The official said a periodical review of the situation in the constituency was being conducted, and the state government would not recommend to the Election Commission of India to conduct by-poll there.
The government spokesperson and senior minister Naeem Akhter said there was “no proposal as such (to hold the by-polls)”.
Four districts—Anantnag, Shopian, Pulwama and Kulgam—in the constituency are at the vanguard of a resurgent militancy backed by unprecedented public support, which has virtually left mainstream politics in these areas irrelevant.
State chief electoral officer ShaleenKabra said there was “no further development” on holding by-polls to the Anantnag segment. An official at the state chief electoral office said that under People’s Representation Act, the ECI doesn’t initiate an election related exercise when only a year is left for the LokSabha term.
On the by-poll day in Srinagar on April 9, protesters clashed with government forces at several polling stations to enforce boycott of elections. As many as eight protesters were shot dead by the forces, prompting the government to cancel by-poll in Anantnag scheduled April 12 as it feared more intense protests there.
The assessment made by the government was that the segment could witnesses more killings and that the voter turnout would dip less than six percent recorded in Srinagar constituency.
Since 2016 uprising that was triggered by killing of popular militant commander BurhanWani, there has been no let up in protests in the four southern districts. Sixty of the 100 civilians killed during the uprising and hundreds of those blinded by pellet ammunition belong to these districts.
During the past 16 months, the districts have witnessed over 250 militant killings during counter insurgency operations. But at the same time the recruitment of local youth into the militancy has continued and the phenomena of civilians risking their lives to rush to encounter sites to try and save militants has only made the situation difficult for the government and forces.
Today, the region is almost out of bounds for mainstream parties which have not dared to hold political rallies, not to talk of carrying out election campaigns.
The seat had fallen vacant on 4 July 2016 after Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti, who had won the segment in 2014 LokSabha elections, resigned to retain the Anantnag assembly seat won by her in the by-polls in June that year.
The by-poll had to be held within six months by 4 January 2017. But in October 2016, when Kashmir was in the middle of the uprising, the government recommended deferment of the polls citing the situation was not conducive. It was for the second time in history of J&K that “law and order disturbances” had prompted the poll body to defer the elections beyond mandatory six-month deadline.
Later, the state chief electoral officer in its report submitted to the poll body in November 2016, favoured holding polls simultaneously for Anantnag and Srinagar seats before April 17 next year.
But after April cancellation the poll date was rescheduled for May 25. However, again the exercise couldn’t be held due to security reasons.
“The state administration in its reports informed that certain elements have started anti-election campaign against the upcoming by-elections,” the Election Commission said in its notice.
The cancellation of the poll, which was termed as victory of separatists in Kashmir by mainstream politicians including former Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, was reminiscent of 1991 when the ECI couldn’t hold election for any LokSabha seat in the state.
On 18 April 1991 the President of India had promulgated the Representation of People (Amendment) Ordinance to enable the ECI to conduct LS elections without taking into account the parliamentary constituencies of J&K.
Subsequently, the Parliament passed “The Representation of the People (Amendment) Act” to replace the Ordinance.
Elections for the State Assembly also couldn’t be held for six years after then Governor Jagmohan, in a controversial move, dissolved the Assembly in 1990.
In mid 1995, when J&K was under President’s Rule, the Government of India recommended to the ECI to hold an early election in the state. However, in November 1995, the three-member ECI unanimously rejected government’s recommendations as it felt that conditions in the state were not conducive for holding them. The polls were later held after a gap of six years in 1996.
During 1996 elections, the Government of India brought polling staff from other states after local employees refused to join duties.
A senior minister in the state government acknowledged that the situation in southern Kashmir wasn’t favorable for holding polls.
“There isn’t much to talk about it (situation). We all know about the anger in the region which has got aggravated due to the civilian killings,” the minister said.
The government’s decision to cancel the Anantnag by-poll comes at a time when the prevailing situation has already forced it to delay conduct of Panchayat polls, which are due since July 2016, to end of this year.
Srinagar: A horrifying case of abuse against minors surfaced yet again where a teacher in North Kashmir district of Baramulla allegedly raped and impregnated a Class 11 student. The police has arrested the teacher for allegedly raping and then illegally attempting to terminate the pregnancy. The incident came to light when the teacher took the student to the hospital for an abortion.
“We have lodged an FIR and the accused has been arrested,” said Mir Imtiyaz Hussain, SSP, Baramulla.
Reported DNA
Srinagar: One of the militants killed in Tral forest gunfight was the operational commander of the Jaish-e-Muhammad outfit, Director General of Police SP Vaid on Thursday claimed.
In a tweet, Vaid said: “Operational commander of JeM Mufti Yasir was among those killed in joint operation in upper reaches of Tral.”
He also tweeted a picture of Yasir alongside JeM chief Masood Azhar.
Srinagar: Suspected militants on Wednesday night attacked a police post in Goripora area of Hyderpora in central Kashmir’s Budgam district and decamped with four rifles.
Official sources told GNS that a group of militants believed to be seven in number barged inside the police post manned by four personnel and decamped with four rifles at Goripora.
The militants, sources said confined all the four personnel and took away their rifles including one Insas, one carbine, and two SLRs. The police post sources said lies outside a temple in the area.
Meanwhile, a police spokesman in a statement said that militants today attacked an armed guard of JKAP 13 battalion at Budgam and decamped with 4 service rifles of policemen at Goripora (Hyderpora) in city outskirts of Srinagar.
“Police have reached on spot. The area is under cordon,” the spokesman said. (GNS)
Srinagar: A soldier injured in an exchange of fire with militants in Lam forest area of Tral in south Kashmir’s Pulwama district on Tuesday has succumbed, police sources said.
They said that soldier, identified as Ajay Kumar of 42 RR, was shifted to 92 Base hospital in Srinagar where he succumbed.
A police official said the militants opened fire on a forces’ party in the area early morning, resulting in a brief shootout.
He said that the militants are believed to have escaped towards upper forest area after the initial exchange of fire.
A search operation jointly launched by the army, SOG of Jammu and Kashmir Police and the CRPF to nab the militants is going on, he said.
Meanwhile, clashes erupted in main town Tral after youth hurled rocks at a forces’ vehicle. The forces responded by firig tear gas.
An official said that a joint team of army’s 42 RR, Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force launched a search operation in Lam forests.
Police on Tuesday said that there was an exchange of fire between militants and forces in Lam forest area in Tral township of south Kashmir’s Pulwama district.
An official said that a joint team of army’s 42 RR, Special Operations Group of Jammu and Kashmir Police and Central Reserve Police Force launched a search operation in Lam forests.
He said that militants hiding in the forest area fired upon the forces, resulting in a brief exchange of fire.
After firing on the forces, he said, the militants – believed to be three in number – fled from the spot.
“Search operation is going on in the area. The cordon has been tightened,” he said.
SRINAGAR: Under very nose of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC), since last 6 years Presentation Convent School Srinagar School has been neglecting to pay sanitation fee towards SMC.
Sources said that the school has not been paying sanitation fee towards SMC from last 6 years but till date no action has been taken by the authorities.
Sources confirmed Press Trust of Kashmir that the school has not been paying sanitation fee towards SMC Srinagar as they have to pays 10000 rupee per month to wards SMC dept.
It is pertinent to mention that valley’s top most school located in Srinagar’s posh Rajbagh area is found to be involved in an unholy nexus with the employees of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) from the last many years.
The Presentation Convent according to reliable sources told Press Trust of Kashmir that is not at all paying sanitation fee towards the SMC but on the other hand SMC lifts huge amount of garbage from Presentation Convent School on daily basis.
Sources also confirmed Press Trust of Kashmir that the Convent School Srinagar has a monthly income of more than 17 lakhs but it seems in no mood to pay mere Rs 5000 to Rs 6000 towards the SMC with proper receipt.
The Safai Karamcharis of Srinagar Municipal Corporation (SMC) regularly take out huge garbage from the school premises as more than 2000 students are on the school rolls at Presentation Convent School.
Press Trust of Kashmir reveals that SMC officials are not charging any monthly fee from the Presentation Convent School management for lifting the huge garbage which gets accumulated in the school premises.
Sources further said that “even if the monthly fee is collected that may be collected illegally by the SMC officials without giving any receipt to school authorities. Sources confirmed that the school management never ever pays a single rupee towards SMC Srinagar.
When contact SMC chief sanitation officer Sofi Muhammad Akbar Bhat he told Press Trust of Kashmir that they will take action against the school management. He added that the school has more than 2000 students enrolled and they have to pay 10000 RS per month. “We will look into the matter and will issue notice to the school management”.
When contact presentation Convent Higher Secondary School they didn’t pick phone. (PTK)
Srinagar, Apr 22 : Class work will remain suspended at a few colleges in Srinagar on Monday as a precautionary measure to avoid student protests, officials said.
An official of District administration Srinagar told KNS that the class work will remain suspended at Amar Singh College, M A Road Women’s Degree College and Degree College Nawakadal in Srinagar tomorrow. “Rest of the educational institutions will remain open in the district,” official said. (KNS)
Srinagar: Minister for School Education Syed Altaf Bukahri on Sunday said that the department will pass a formal order to ask coaching centers to “shut” their “shops” for at least 90 days with immediate effect and would revoke it after a review.
“We don’t want to shift focus. My focus is to have proper schooling. We were looking at distractions and one of the distractions we found was coaching centers. Perhaps the attendance of the students in coaching centers is more than schools. We by request and by passing an official order will ask coaching centers to shut their shops,” Education minister Altaf Bukhari told reporters after a meeting of chief education officers, zonal education officers and principals of higher secondary schools here.
Asked for how long the order will operate, the minister said: “In the first instance it would be for 90 days and we will review it later.”
Asked whether the government has been able to evolve any mechanism to prevent the protests, he according to GNS said: “See the mechanism is not for protests. Our focus should be that there are no distractions to the students. Today I saw lot be debated in newspapers. It’s simple that we are the custodian of the students. Our focus is entirely to see that student face no distraction. One of the distractions is that when our students take to streets, there are some elements, who are not our colleges or schools students, who get mingled with our students and they start pelting stones.”
He added: “Pelting stones is not the solution to everything. How can stone pelting give justice to the minor victim? Instead, we are doing injustice with somebody to whom we pelt stones upon. We are pelting stones on our own vehicles or our visitors. We don’t think of a ponny walla, houseboat owner or boatman who gets sustenance for the entire year (from tourism season.) Some of them have to arrange for the marriage of their daughters through this income only.”
He said that people who indulge in stone pelting don’t think how their action impacts the entire society.
“My mandate is to see how we can keep education system working. Our students are intelligent and I don’t want that they are lesser educated compared to their counterparts from outside. I can tell you with certainty that if we are able to provide the better atmosphere, they will excel and there will be none to compete with them.”
Asked whether schools and college will be reopened tomorrow, he said, “Opening or closing of colleges has nothing to do with my meeting. I am only trying to see how we can maintain peace and tranquility in these institutions. The decision (to close or keeping open schools and colleges) lies with directors and principles of schools and colleges and I don’t see any big reason why they should not.”
Asked about an earlier decision of the government to take the decision on closing and reopening of colleges and schools was left to the divisional and district authorities, he said: “We need do it as a team. Law and order is a problem which is dealt by them. It is a conscious decision. I would like to appeal people and parents to help us in keeping schools and colleges open. Please take care of students at the family level also and they should not get an impression that they are unwanted rather they should get the feeling that they are very special. The students are emotionally hurt by whatever is happening and we have to take care of all this. I request parents to help me and assure them I will provide the best education to them.”
He also asked the director school education Kashmir to submit the list of teachers, masters, and lecturers who are working in private coaching centers for “necessary action.”
The decision has been taken in view of widespread student protests over the gruesome gang rape-and-murder of an eight-year-old nomadic girl in Kathua. (GNS)